Aurelius Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 On 17/08/2018 at 7:52 AM, DPS Ammonite said: I have noticed lately that a few of our members have mentioned that they are on the autism/ ADHD spectrum. We welcome the oportunity to serve a diverse audience. I always try to tailor my questions and answers to the specific person and to a lessor extent a worldwide audience. As autistic persons, what sort of challenges do you have while participating on the Fossil Forum? How can we improve our site or our interactions with you to accommodate you? I ask these questions because I come across autistic persons at outreach events for geology and paleontology. I try to figure out the best way to communicate my message to them. I also have a young close relative who is in the austic spectrum that I like to talk to about all the interesting subjects in this world. I can't speak for the OP, but I am autistic and find the forum a very welcoming and non-threatening place. It is well-moderated and I've not really had any problems. My main problems online - as in life - generally stem from the fact that I am, as an autistic, unavoidably odd in certain ways, and very few people bother to try and understand conditions like autism. This can lead to issues as people often try to bully or belittle people if they sense difference, as well as the basic fact that autistics just find it harder to get on in any kind of social situation, online or not. Anyway, the good moderation and very knowledgeable membership on the website makes it great place for autistic people. I can't say the same for the Facebook group, which appears to be aimed at a more general audience of red-faced, bellowing racists, narcissists and self-proclaimed experts who absolutely insist that every beach-worn house brick they pick up is a fossilised unicorn horn. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 22 minutes ago, Aurelius said: I can't say the same for the Facebook group, which appears to be aimed at a more general audience of red-faced, bellowing racists, narcissists and self-proclaimed experts who absolutely insist that every beach-worn house brick they pick up is a fossilised unicorn horn. Ah! I just joined the Facebook group! Narcissist? debatably. expert? nope. racist? never. red faced? have to check mirror? And fossilized unicorn? Wish I lived in such a whimsical state of mind, but it’s a brick. “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelius Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 Just now, WhodamanHD said: Ah! I just joined the Facebook group! Narcissist? debatably. expert? nope. racist? never. red faced? have to check mirror? And fossilized unicorn? Wish I lived in such a whimsical state of mind, but it’s a brick. I might just be bitter, I got banned from the Facebook group for a reason that I consider to be ridiculous. No great loss, either to myself or the group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 Just now, Aurelius said: I might just be bitter, I got banned from the Facebook group for a reason that I consider to be ridiculous. No great loss, either to myself or the group. I’ve joined, so I’ve got no clue! But thus far, I like the forum better. More filtered down to dedicated people. 1 “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurelius Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 Just now, WhodamanHD said: I’ve joined, so I’ve got no clue! But thus far, I like the forum better. More filtered down to dedicated people. Exactly right. The forum has so many knowledgeable people, and whilst some of them are on the Facebook group too, there is an awful lot of nonsense there. If you post a fossil for ID, you'll likely get a dozen wild guesses for every accurate ID. That makes it rather less useful for beginners, which is a shame since they're the most likely people to be on the Facebook group. The website is much better. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innocentx Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 3 hours ago, Aurelius said: the Facebook group, which appears to be aimed at a more general audience of red-faced, bellowing racists, narcissists and self-proclaimed experts who absolutely insist that every beach-worn house brick they pick up is a fossilised unicorn horn. Hilariously well said!!! 1 "Journey through a universe ablaze with changes" Phil Ochs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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